TheoGlory
2006.04.27
Wonderful busy day today. Yesterday and today and tomorrow during the day I am attending Theophostic Ministry Training. I must say I watched the videos a couple of years ago and wasn't sold on it. After listening to Ed Smith the last couple of days and hearing some of the changes he's made in his philosophy, theology and practice I see this becoming a part of my ministry to others.
There's more. Tonight is the opening night of Restoring The Glory at Church in the City. RTG is a conference for healing of sexuality and intimacy with a central focus being one's relationship with God and what is true in relationship with Him. Ann and I are sharing our story Saturday morning in a workshop.
Whheeewwwwww. Good stuff and lots of it.
Update 042806: My wife loves me. She took a 45 minute walk with me in the cold drizzle this morning. Reminded me of my junior year in high school playing in the same type of weather, 40 degrees and drizzle. I've never been so cold. But I digress.
The opening evening for Restoring the Glory was outstanding. This year it is being held at Church in the City, an earthy, gritty place in the best sence of those words. A lot moretexture to the culture there than out here in the 'burbs.
Janelle Hallman, Bob Hudson and Scott Kingery with Where Grace Abounds all spoke. The themes for the evening focused on missing building blocks in our lives from childhood and moving from living from our false selves to our true selves. Bob's counselor told him once, "The false self has no soul." Therefore, when living from a false self one can't truly experience love, either giving or receiving it.
To me Theophostic is about moving from living from the false self to the true self too. The language is different, Ed Smith talks more about removing our structure and bringing truth to our beliefs based on lies surrounding memories from the past. But both deal with ways we cover up our heart and soul because we believe we'll be rejected if others really knew us. Healing begins, as we show up to God, with all of our complaints. God doesn't answer our complaints. He remains silent until we get that He is the answer.